Martin’s 5: Is Cole Beasley A Pro Bowl Player?

Welcome to this week's edition of Martin's 5!

The Dallas Cowboys have a tough matchup this week when they hit the road to take on the Minnesota Vikings.

The Vikings got out to a hot start to kick off the 2016 season, but have really struggled here lately. A lot of that probably has to do with the injuries they have suffered, but they still could give the Cowboys all they can handle nonetheless.

Minnesota still has one of the best defenses in the entire NFL, so it will be really interesting to see how the Dallas Cowboys' potent offense stands up to the test.

Now, I do believe that the Cowboys will improve their winning streak to 11 games, but just because I think they win this game relatively easily, doesn't mean there aren't some lingering thoughts stuck in my head this week.

Fortunately, that's what this space was created for. I get to share with you what I'm thinking this week and hopefully you can help ease any concerns I might have.

So, without further ado, here are the five things I'm thinking about this week.

One: Voting for the players you want to see in the Pro Bowl is currently underway and that got me wondering if Cole Beasley falls into that category? Beasley has been the Dallas Cowboys best wide receiver this season and Dak Prescott learned early on that he is a quarterback's best friend. He is currently 33rd in the NFL in receiving yards, but those numbers are misleading considering the fact that he plays strictly out of the slot. It could be argued that he is at a disadvantage and can't possibly put up numbers like AJ Green or Julio Jones, so maybe the Pro Bowl should consider making a change to how we all vote for wide receivers. There are a lot of receivers in the NFL that just play in the slot, and I personally think Cole Beasley might just be the best of the bunch. It's unlikely that he gets voted in, but that doesn't mean he doesn't deserve it.

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Two: Let's stick with the Pro Bowl theme here for just a little bit longer. I wonder just how many Dallas Cowboys players get voted in and make the trip to Orlando, Florida this year? Of course, we all hope that this doesn't happen because that means the Cowboys are playing in the Super Bowl, but it's still fun to speculate. I wrote an article yesterday predicting the Cowboys' 2017 Pro Bowl players and came up with eight that realistically have an excellent chance of being voted in. The better the team, the more players they usually have in the Pro Bowl. Now, eight players wouldn't shock me, but there aare also five or six others on the Cowboys roster that are playing at a Pro Bowl level. Could we possibly see a record number of Dallas Cowboys playing in the 2017 Pro Bowl?

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Three: Coming out of Ohio State, Ezekiel Elliott, was regarded as one of the most complete running backs to enter the NFL Draft since Adrian Peterson. I wonder if he will be playing with any added incentive this week against the Minnesota Vikings with Peterson in attendance? Peterson and Elliott have nearly identical statistics through 11 games of their rookie seasons. Elliott has a few less rushing yards then Peterson, but has one more touchdown. Ezekiel Elliott might be playing with a little chip on the shoulder already seeing his alma mater tragically hit by a cowardly act a few days ago, so we might see him running a little bit more angry this week. That's certainly not good news for the Minnesota Vikings defense.

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Four: It's no secret that the Minnesota Vikings have been decimated by injuries, especially along the offensive line. I wonder if we will see the defense in more of an attack mode this week or if defensive coordinator Rod Marinelli will continue to focus on coverages? There isn't a lot to really worry about in regards to the Vikings offense. They are one the worst teams in the league running the ball and have very few consistent weapons in the receiving game. Sam Bradford is a pocket passer, so putting pressure on him could be the best way to disrupt the entire offense. The Cowboys defense hasn't been really good this year about getting after the opposing QB, but that could all change this evening against a beat up Vikings offensive line.

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Five:Barry Church has been back at practice this week after missing several games with a broken forearm. His return couldn't have come at a better time with J.J. Wilcox likely to miss this game with a thigh contusion, but I wonder what kind of impact Church can have after missing so much time? Church is one of the better defensive players for the Cowboys, but is he still in game shape after missing several weeks? I don't believe the coaching staff would put Church back out on the field if he wasn't ready, but we could see Jeff Heath utilized little more just in case. I personally think Barry Church has an impact play this evening that changes the course of the entire game.

Is there any thing your wondering about this week?

Don't forget to take advantage of the comment section below to share anything you're wondering about this week.

Level C2/C3 quadriplegic. College graduate with a bachelors degree in sports and health sciences-concentration sports management. Sports enthusiast. Dallas Cowboys fanatic. Lover of life with a glass half-full point of view.

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2018 Draft Class Season Review: LB Leighton Vander Esch

As the first round draft pick of America's Team, any player would be under a ton of pressure from all angles. Whether it's from the fans on the outside or the organization on the inside, the expectations around being a first round pick for the Cowboys are immense. But the pressure placed upon linebacker Leighton Vander Esch, from the second he was announced as the 19th overall draft pick, was second to none.

It felt like Cowboys Nation let out a collective groan when Vander Esch was taken, with fans hoping for a more glamorous first round selection. Someone like wide receiver Calvin Ridley or edge rusher Harold Landry would've done the trick, but after Vander Esch's rookie season it's hard to imagine either of those players would have had the impact Vander Esch did in 2018.

Though he didn't start a game until week 4, and didn't become the unquestioned full-time starting WILL until week 10, Vander Esch earned Pro Bowl honors for his rookie season. Tallying 140 total tackles and 2 interceptions, Vander Esch made his presence felt week in and week out.

Prior to the 2018 season, the Cowboys defensive success often came down to the health of Sean Lee. When available and playing at his best, Lee led an overachieving Cowboys defense to solid performances each week. But, when Lee went out (as he often did), the entire Cowboys defense seemed to fall apart.

This year, though, that all changed. When Sean Lee was out with injury the Cowboys defense got better. Vander Esch and Jaylon Smith became a versatile, hard hitting tandem the NFL immediately feared, and helped to direct the Cowboys defense to signature wins throughout the 2018 season.

There are arguments against taking any off-ball linebacker in the first round, as the value of the position has been questioned due to the new style of offense in the NFL. Nowadays linebackers are relegated to two-down players, taken off the field in favor of faster defensive backs on critical passing downs.

Leighton Vander Esch is athletic enough to be both an old school run stopper, but also a three down linebacker in today's fast paced NFL.

Despite the doubts which surrounded the pick, the Cowboys absolutely nailed their first round selection in 2018. And Leighton Vander Esch made Dallas' front office look like geniuses each and every Sunday.

What Is The Cowboys Most Pressing Offseason Need?

Finishing their season with a Division Round loss, Dallas Cowboys fans are getting a somewhat late start on the 2019 offseason. Of course, we'd much rather a later start, but the results are what they are.

Now Dallas must get better, and re-tool before heading into Dak Prescott's fourth season, and the Cowboys' 2019 campaign. Though they didn't feel all that close to a championship this season, looking around the roster, it's actually tough to identify one key need the Cowboys must address.

They are filled with young, talented players that they have high hopes for across the board. And in the places they are "older," such as across the offensive line, they have established veterans who aren't going anywhere anytime soon.

So what is the Cowboys' most pressing offseason need?

Well, despite already using their 2019 first round pick to address it, the answer very well might be wide receiver.

Adding Amari Cooper midseason provided a massive jolt to the Cowboys previously anemic passing attack, but on his own he is not enough to take this passing game to where it needs to be to compete in this new NFL.

Third round pick Michael Gallup is going to be a very good pro, and progressed really well as his rookie season went on. I think he can play opposite Amari Cooper nicely, and be the number two option in the passing game going forward.

Though arguably their best wide out against man coverage, Cole Beasley is a free agent, and if the reports are true about Scott Linehan returning in 2019 it could very well mean Beasley will not be opting to sign back with Dallas.

Regardless of Beasley's decision, however, the Cowboys need to seriously evaluate their pass catchers heading into next season.

This is a passing league. The rules have dictated that you must be able to pass the ball efficiently if you want to compete with the best of the best around the NFL. To take the next step in their progression, and reach an NFC title game and/or Super Bowl, Dak Prescott will need to have as explosive a group of pass catchers as possible.

The Cowboys have already taken solid steps to making this a reality, but another move or two this offseason could go a long way to putting Dallas in the conversation with teams like the Rams and the Saints in 2019.